Choices
by Rally4ever
Summary: As I Lay Dying... New Chapter up in honor of tomorrow night's thriller.
1. Last Resorts

I don't own Vampire Diaries or any affiliated characters.  
>This episode got me more thrilled and excited than I have been for a long time with the show.<br>Had to do it. I hope you enjoy enjoy the story as much as I did writing it. As always reviews are appreciated.  
>If you like the story please let me know.<p>

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><p>Why do you do these things to me Damon?<p>

Confuse me… Frustrate me like no one else.

My attempts to stay angry at you never last long.

I enter your room.

Before you even give me a chance to apologize…

"Eh, look Klaus had to think she was dead. Your reaction had to be real."

I think about us dancing, me laughing, somehow feeling safe spinning in your arms, even with Klaus there.  
>You always manage to find a way to cheer me up.<p>

You pulled me close and told me, 'I've got moves you've never seen.'  
>I had no idea then how right you were, what you'd be willing to do.<p>

"I understand why you did what you did. Klaus was fooled and Bonnie's alive."

You raise your glass maybe in self congratulation.

"Here's to duplicity."

"Let's get one thing straight Damon. Bonnie will not die for me I will not let that happen."

I won't let you die for me either.

"We need to kill Klaus Elena, real Klaus. Who will probably be coming to pay you a visit soon now that he knows that Bonnie's dead."

"She's the only one who can do it."

You almost seem regretful at those words.

"We'll find another way." I respond already having one way in mind. You won't like it.

"I hope so."

You seem sincere enough but doubtful.

Let me say this, "Look, I shouldn't have hit you."

"Apology accepted."

I smile and turn to go. You start to say something more. I turn back to you. Somehow I knew you would have more. You always leave me with something to think about.

"Let me be clear about something, if it comes down to you and the witch again. I will gladly let Bonnie die. I will always choose you."

I should be offended for Bonnie's sake, but I'm not. I don't think she would take it personally, she proved that much tonight.  
>Shockingly you both agreed about something, choosing me.<p>

Your conviction, your intensity stops me but doesn't surprise me. Of course you don't know I remember…. That night you came to my room the first time we thought  
>Elijah was dead. Yet another time you sacrificed for me; another time you saved my life, when you put it all… yourself on the line. Of course I believe you.<p>

"Goodnight Damon."

"Goodnight."

You always have a plan Damon, now I have a plan. I will prove I'm not helpless, useless. I will show you that I can be a protector too.

I'm as serious as you are. I head to the dungeons to do what I swore to myself I wouldn't. I can't lose anyone I love. It would be the death of me.

We all have our choices to make, you made yours … I've made mine.

I have to do this to save Bonnie, I have to do this to save you, I have to do this to save myself.


	2. Apologies

I don't own the characters in vampire diaries. I do own this story, hope you'll enjoy it.

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><p>Why do you do these things to me Elena?<p>

Confuse me… Frustrate me like no one else.

I'm a mess on the floor, I let the only person who seems to give a crap about me go.

Stefan's right, she doesn't "respect" me. How could she when she pulls stunts like these,  
>after all the hard work I've done to protect her and keep her breathing.<p>

I know she's coming, somehow. I can feel it in my bones, on my skin. My "Elena senses" are tingling.

She starts, "Umm... I just saw Andie leave. She was very casually dressed."

"Get out." I reply simply; I seem to be saying that a lot lately though I never thought I'd be saying it to her.

She's stubborn enough to enter further, she has the nerve to kneel in front of me  
>and say, "I came to check on you Damon. Are you okay?"<p>

"What do you think Elena?" I reply finally looking at her hoping the sight of me will disgust her enough so she'll leave.

She stands up; I'm sure I've won this battle.

But she goes to my bathroom, grabs a hand towel and wets it with warm water.

It's disturbingly satisfying how at home she makes herself to be in my room.

Well I suppose this is her house now.

She comes back to me and kneels down again. She begins to wipe my face, around my mouth.  
>She's seems unfazed by how red that rag is becoming.<p>

When she's finished, she looks in my eyes and says, "I prefer you this way Damon."

I can only think to say, "Well I am a vampire Elena, it's a part of me. I'm a monster after all."

"I know you're a vampire, I accept that. But you're no monster."

I ponder her words and ask, "What makes you so sure?"

"You've saved my life multiple times Damon. You put me first. No matter how terrible you make yourself out to be…  
>I could never see you as a monster after all you've done for me. I respect you."<p>

I sigh, "You know Elena, I would die for you but you don't have to make it quite so easy to get yourself killed.  
>You could try to live. That would show respect for me."<p>

I'm surprised when she puts her hand on mine, "I'm sorry Damon. I had to. There was no other choice."

"You could choose to trust me."

"Damon, I do trust you."

"Then why did you release Elijah?"

"It's not because I didn't trust you. I did it for you. I did it for Bonnie. I did it for everyone I care about."

I have to ask though I probably shouldn't, "You care about me?"

"You know I do …" She replies.

Maybe my bewildered expression isn't very convincing.

"Or maybe you don't." she continues as she stands and pulls me up with her.

She asks, "Didn't I ever really thank you Damon?"

I shrug; then she squeezes me,

She holds me while softly saying, "Thank you Damon, for everything. I'm truly grateful to you."

I continue to savor the feel of having her close, letting her heartbeat reassure that she's really here with me, "You're welcome, Elena.  
>But I can't call my actions completely selfless. Do you know what would happen to me if I lost you? "<p>

She replies with a sigh, "I imagine the same thing that would happen to me if you were gone."

I pull back from her and say, "I'm not going anywhere. But you could've told me about Elijah, about what you were planning to do."

"You could've told me about what you planned with Bonnie. And if I had told you what I was planning with Elijah, you would've tried to stop me."

I respond, "Fair enough."

She gives a smile and says, "I'm not worried about Klaus or Elijah, I know you'll be there for me."

I shake my head and say, "Let me get this straight, you want me to apologize to the vampire who tried to kill me and sacrifice you."

She nods, "Let's give this way a shot please."

"Fine. But if it doesn't work we are going back to my way."

I head back downstairs with Elena, and I am ready to say what Elijah needs to hear.

The smug, calculating bastard smiles at me… relishing in the chance to humiliate me.

"Elijah…"

"Yes Damon."

"I have something to say and I'll only say this once."

He encourages, "Go on…"

"I'm sorry you tried to use Elena, so you had to die.  
>I'm sorry Elena had to take that dagger out of your chest to bring you back.<br>I'm sorry that if any harm comes to Elena, I will have to kill you again like the last three times."

He replies, "That's not much of an apology."

Now I'm smiling, "Take what you can get."

"Elijah, you claim to be a gentleman of your word, so am I. Don't forget that."


	3. Last Stands

I don't own Vampire Diaries or any affiliated characters. In honor of As I Lay Dying tomorrow night, I had to write this.

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><p>So this is it…<p>

The ritual has begun.

I take some comfort that Klaus has decided to kill me first, maybe it will give Jenna a chance to get away somehow.

Klaus continues his transformation as Greta chants some strange words; I don't try to understand her… I feel myself fading.

He is draining my life away from me slowly.

The chanting has stopped abruptly and so has Klaus, he's thrown from me … I hear more voices I can't quite place.

It takes me a moment to come to myself.

When I do, I see Damon on top of Klaus draining blood from his throat.

I wonder how Damon is managing to keep Klaus down.

I am surprised to see both Bonnie and Greta focusing on restraining Klaus to the ground.

When Damon is done draining every drop from Klaus, I see him stab the Original with a familiar type of wooden dagger.

Damon looks at me,

"You came for me."

"Of course Elena, you knew I would."

My attention is torn away from him when Bonnie asks, "Elena, are you alright?"

I hug her and say, "I'm fine now, I missed you so much."

I ask, "Bonnie how did you get Greta to help you?"

"She was under a spell Elena, her father and the spirits of all those witches who died gave me the power to release her mind."

Greta adds, "I'm finally free, I wish my father and brother were here too but Bonnie showed me everything.  
>Thank you all for helping me."<p>

I smile at her.

I go to Jenna, not sure how to tell her what she is becoming.

I try to explain, "Jenna I'm so sorry about this. Klaus he… I didn't know he would…"

"Klaus attacked me… I was dead. I think I know what this means. We'll get through it Elena. All that matters is you're alive."

I hug Jenna tightly.

I notice Damon is strangely quiet with his back turned to the rest of us; I would have thought he'd begin his gloating by now.

I walk over to where he is standing and ask, "Where'd you get that dagger? I thought Elijah destroyed the last one."

Damon replies, "I beat the crap out of John for it. Apparently he had another one he stowed away for self protection."

"Damon I don't know how to …"

He interrupts me before I can finish, "Elena I need to show you something."

"Okay Damon." I reply puzzled.

I walk with Damon towards a more private area away from everyone else; we go a little further into the trees surrounding us.

We stop.

Damon turns to look at me and I start, "Damon let me say this. You are amazing. You saved Jenna, you saved me.  
>You saved us all. You risked your life."<p>

Damon replies stoically, "Elena that's what I need to tell you. I didn't risk that much. Honestly, I had nothing to lose."

"What are you talking about?" I question.

Damon rolls up his sleeve and I see it. I recognize that wound. I remember Rose with that mark. I start to shake.

Damon puts his hands on my shoulders, to comfort me, to try and steady me.

Damon explains, "Tyler bit me Elena. I freed him and Caroline, but the moon was already rising."

I start to cry.

"There must be something we can do. We'll find a way." I say weakly, trying to convince myself.

Damon states simply, "There's nothing."

I'm sobbing now, almost screaming as I say, "NO DAMON NO! YOU HAVE TO FIGHT THIS! I WON'T LOSE YOU NOW!  
>YOU PROMISED! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE FOR ME ALWAYS! "<p>

I notice his eyes have started to water. Just like that night. It pains me to see tears in his ice blue orbs.

Damon pulls me closer to him. He holds me and says, "Shh. I know Elena, I'm so sorry. God I'm sorry. You know I don't want to leave you. I'd do anything to stay with you forever."

I whisper against his chest the only thing I can think to say, the truth I've kept from him and myself until this very moment, "I love you, Damon."

In spite of his supernatural powers, I'm not sure he's even heard me until he replies, "I love you too Elena. You know I do. I'll love you every moment I have left."


End file.
